Suction cleaner



Aug. 8, 1933. w. H. KITTo 1,921,033

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 5. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l I6, w A. 75 @Magma EJE/76161177 I3 r Aug. 8, 1933.

w. H. KITTO SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 5,1931

5 Sheets-Sheet 51 f w N @ff/W 5%;

Patented Aug. 1933 SUCTION CLEANER william n xmo, canton,

Ohio, assgnor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a Corporation of Ohio Application February 5,

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and inv particular to a new and improved rear castortherefore. More specically'the invention comprises the provision 'of a 5 new and novel supporting wheel construction for a suction cleaner, or similar movable tool, which is characterized in that it is compensating, in the sense that it .is able to follow the contour of the supporting surface without tilting the tool which it supports; and further in that it is adjustable relative to the supported tool in order to vary the height of the tool relative to the surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved supporting construction for a movable tool such as a suction cleaner. Another object is the provision of a supporting wheel construction for a movable tool in which the wheels are mounted tiltably relative to the tool which they support and in which means are provided to adjust the height of the supported tool relative to the supporting surface. ,It is a still further object to provide, in a suction cleaner, supporting wheels which are freely tiltable about an axis perpendicular to their supporting axis and which are further pivoted to permit height adjustment relative to the cleaner. A still further object is the provision of a supporting wheel construction in which the supporting wheels are freely tiltable about one axis and are also tiltable about a second axis, there being adjusting means to control the pivoting. of the wheels about said second axis. Another object is the provision of spaced supporting wheels which are freely tiltable about one axis relative to the tool, which they' support and which are adjustable relative to said tool thru being pivoted about a second axis, there being adjusting means provided which is tiltable with said wheels about said first mentioned axis to accomplish the adjustment of said wheels about said second axis. These and other more specic objects will appear upon reading they following specication and claims and considering in connection therewith the attached drawings in which a plurality of modications of the present invention are disclosed.

Referring now to the drawings in which pre. ferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed and in which the same reference characters refer to like parts in the various views;

Fig. 1 is a side view of a modern suction cleaner with the present invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a partial section upon the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

1931. serial Nu. 513.471 (o1. 15-'16) Fig. 4 is asection upon the line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 3:

Fig. 6 isa partial section, similar to Fig. 2, of i a modified embodiment of the present invention, l taken upon the line 6 6 of Fig. 8; v 60 Fig. 'I is a cross section upon the line '7 7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a cross section Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a cross section looking in the direction 65 of the arrows on the line 9 9 of Fig. '7;

Fig.v 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a third modied embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 1l is a section upon the line 11 11 of Fig. v1o;

Fig. 12 Vis a section looking in the direction of the arrows upon the line 12-12 of Fig. l0;

Fig. 13 is a section upon the line 13 13 of Iig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a section similar to that shown in 75 Fig. 13 showing a modied spring arrangement;l

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 showing a still further modified spring arrangement.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, one emy bodiment ofthe present invention is disclosed, its application relative to a modern suction cleaner being clearly shownl in VFigure 1. The suction cleaner casing, indicated generally by the reference character 1, is movably supported by means of front supporting wheels, of which only one is shown, being indicated by the reference character 2, and by means'of rear supporting wheels 3, 3, which are positioned lunder and attached to the underside of the exhaust outlet of the casing in a manner which comprises the present invention. The suction cleaner is also provided with a pivoted handle 4 by whichthe operator can manipulate the machine. In this first embodiment the rear supporting wheels 3, 3 are ro- 5 tatably mounted upon the horizontal extension `of an L-shaped member 5, said horizontal por tion serving as the wheel axle. 'A body or base 6 is positioned between the wheels 3, 3 and the casing l of the cleaner and comprises a lowerv portion, which is provided with a transversely extending bore 7, and an upper flat faceor surface which faces and extends adjacent the underside of the casing of the cleaner. A U-shaped bracket 8 is pivotally supported from the lower portion 105 of body 6 by means of a transversely extending pin 9 which seats within the bore 7 of the body. The horizontally 4extending portion of the L- shaped member 5 extends thru a bore 10 in the upon the line 8 8 of bracket 8, the wheels 3, 3 being positioned upon "10 y Carried bythe underside of casing 1 of the cleaner directly above the body 6 is a contact plate 11 which is provided with four downwardly projecting portions of circular cross section which are indicated by the reference character 12, 12 etc. Securing screws 13, 13 etc. extend upwardly thru the contact plate 11 at the projecting por- `mainder of the surface, which is otherwise hat by the resilient springs tions and secure said plate to the underside of lthe casing thru being `threaded thereinto. The

underside of the contact plate 11 is provided with a downwardly extending convex ridge, indicated by the reference character l4, which is positioned midway between the two'pairs of projecting portions 12, 12 and extends longitudinally of the machine, that is, parallel to its direction of motion. The upper at surface of body 6 contacts the plate 11 at the convex portion or ridge 14, thereof and is prevented from contacting the resave for the projections 12, 12 etc., by that ridge, there being substantially line contact between the two. parts. The plate 6 is necessarily provided with counterbored openings 15. .15 thru which the projecting portions 12, 12 etc. on the contact plate may extend and to prevent the disengagement of the two parts spiral coil springs 16, 16 etc. are positioned within each of-the counterbores 15, 15 etc. being seated between the shoulder in said counterbores and 'suitable washers 17, 17 etc. which are carried at the ends of the projecting portions on the contact member 11 for that purpose, and which are secured thereto as by Deened ends on the projecting rtions. The convex ridge 14 on the contact plate 11 extendssubstantially the length of the upper surface of the body 6 and permits that body to be rocked relative to the plate 11 and so to the casing 1, said rocking taking place against the resisting force exerted 16, 16 etc. which, thru exerting equal forces in compression tend to centerrthe body 6 and so the wheels 3, 3 which are carried thereby thru the bracket 8, and maintain them in a central position, or that in which the wheel axle would be horizontal. As is clearly shown in Figure 5 the openings 15, 15 are larger in diameter than the projecting portions 12, 12, which extend therethru, and the body 6 is permitted4 to have this tilting action within definite limits being only resisted by the resilient action of the springs.

Extending transversely across the upper surface of the body 6 in a suitable recess 18, and secured thereto. by means of rivets 19, 19, is a second L-shaped member or strap 20 which is tiltable with the body '6 relative to the casing thru being rigidly connected thereto. Theupper end of the L-shaped strap 20 extends upwardly at the side of the casing 1 and parallel to the upwardly projecting L-shaped member 5, the lower end of which forms the axle for the supporting wheels 3, 3. At Athe upper end of strap 20 a plate 21 is pivotally mounted, by means of a pin 22, and on the upper surface of this plate 21 is mounted a rotatable member 23 into which the upper endof the member 5 projects in screw threadedvrel'ationship. Manual rotation of the adjusting member 23 functions to raise or lower the L-shaped arm 5 relative to the plate 21, and so to the body 6, thereby pivoting the bracket 9 carried by the body and rethe supporting wheels, 3. The extent or degree of this adjustment is indicated bysuitable heightindicating means, indicated generally by the reference character 24, which are constructed in a manner which forms no part of the present invention. s

The height to which the casing 1 can be raised, is limited thru the body 6 vbeing provided with a downwardly projecting lug 25 which isl adapted to be contacted by the braclret` 8 upon its'being pivoted to a certain lower liniit by the adjusting means 23. y

In the operation of a suction cleaner provided with rear supporting means constructed in accordance with the present invention as the cleaner is operated over the surface covering and passes over an uneven portion thereof the rear supporting wheels are ,able to follow the contour of that surface, both wheels remaining in contact therewith. Relative movement between the wheels and the cleaner body is permitted by body 6 rocking' or tilting relative to the contact surface of the casing formed by the plate '1 1 and specifically about the downwardly. projecting'convex ridge 14 formed thereon. The springs 16, 16 etc. posi-` to the cleaner `when off the supporting surface.

The second embodiment of tlie present invention is shown in Figures 6 to -9, inclusive. According to this construction a contact plate 26 is secured to the underside of the exhaust outlet of the casing 1 and is ly extending longitudinally directed ridge 27. The contact plate is secured tothe underside of the casing by means of triangularly spaced securing screws 28, 28 etc. which pass thru the plate 26 and are screw threadedinto the -underside'of the casing. The forward extremity of the contact plate is transversely recessed as it was -in the previous embodiment, to form a guideway for the securing means for the underside of the casing 1 in a manner which forms no part of the present invention. The sented by the reference character 29 in the present embodiment and is provided with a flat upper surface which is contacted by the contact plate at the ridge 27 and is shown as recessed at 30 for the. purpose of reducing the weight. The rivets 31, 31 etc. are secured to the contact plate 26 and extend downwardly therefrom, being arranged at .the corners of a rectangle as in the previous embodiment, and extend thru the counterboredl holes 32 32 etc. body 29. As in the previous embodiment coiled spiralsprings 33, 33 are seated in the counterbored openings 32, 32 etc. and contact theenlarged ends of the rivets 31, 31 etc. thereby functioning to maintain the upper surface of the body 29 in contact with the ridge '27. 1

At its lower extremity the `body 29 is provided with the transversely extending' bore 34 within which is rotatably mounted the central or axle portion of the crank shaft 35 on the sidel arms of which the supporting wheels 3, 3 are mounted. 'I'he range of pivotal movement of the crank shaft 35`relative to the body 29 is limited by the presence of inwardly-extending bind 36, 36 which are adapted to contact, in the limiting positions, the lugs 36a, 36a etc. carried by the body 29 )is in the previous embodiment an L-sha'ped provided with a downwardpivoted body is repre.

in the upper face of i ed and extends withinv the cleaner prevents any looseness of parts and mainof the invention disclosed in tive to the cleaner member or strap 37 is carried in a suitable recess which extends transversely across the surface of the body 29 and which is indicated by the reference character` 38. Spaced `rivets 39, 39 rigidly secure the strap to the body. The adiustment of the crank shaft relative to the body for the purpose of raising or lowering the supporting wheels, and so the casing of the cleaner, is accomplished by adjustment means exactly similar to those incorporated in the first described embodiment, there being provided rotatable means at the upper end of the L-shaped strap 37 which function to raise and lower the L-shaped member 40, which, in the present instance, forms the axle for only one of the supporting wheels, said wheels being rigidly connected thru the crank shaft 35.

The functional operation of the embodiment Figures 6 to 9 is the same as the first embodiment.

The third embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figures 10 to 13 inclusive. According to this embodiment the contact plate of the previous embodiments has been replaced by a plate 41 which is provided with downwardly extending longitudinally spaced arms 41a, 41a. A pivot pin 42 extends between these spaced arms on which is pivotally mounted the body 43, there being a bore 44 provided therethrufor that purpose. y Spaced compression springs 45, 45 are positioned between the upper surface of body 43 and the plates 41,. being positioned in suitable recesses 46, 46 in the plates 41 to prevent dislocation. As in the previous embodiments the horizontal extension of the L-shaped strap, which is in the present embodiment indicated by the reference character 47, is carried by the upper surface of the body 43 'being secured by rivets 47a, 47a. At its upper end a plate 48 is pivotally mounted upon the strap 47 by means of a pin 49 and a -rotatable adjusting member 50 is carried by theA plate.

At the lower ,extremity'of the body 43 of the present embodiment the usual transversely extending bore is present and is indicated by the reference character 51. The wheels 3, 3 are pivotally mounted relative to the body 43 by means-of the U-frame 52, of the same type incorporated in the first embodiment, which is pivoted relative to the body by means of a pin 53 which extends thru the bore 51 of the body. The usual L-shaped wheel-supporting member 54 is present and forms the axle for necting them to the U-frame 52 by extending thru the bore 55` therein. The upwardly extending end of the L-shaped member 54 is threadrotatable member 50 carried by the plate 48 for the purpose of being raised or lowered relative thereto. 'I'he usual downwardly projecting lug 56 is provided on the body 43 which prevents the pivoting of theU- frame, upon being lowered by the L-shaped member 54, below a definite lower point.

The mounting of the body 43 and its accompartying parts relative to the casing 1 vby', means otthe pivotal connection described presents a construction in which a minimum offriction opposes any tilting of the supportingwheels relacasing in following the contains, as inthe previous embodiments, the parts Yin substantially central position when not in place upon the surface cove In Figures 14 and l5 partial cross sections,

with, a pivoted plate on said second tivefthereto to raise or the wheels 3, 3, con-v similar to Figure 13, are shown in which the plurality of springs between theupper surface of the body 43 and the plate 40 are'dispensed with in favor of a single spring, which i'sindicated by the reference character57. A s'shownin'Flgure 15 spring 57 is provided -with an enclosing cover 58 which is sldably positioned within a-suitabie recess formed in the-strap I' claim: 1. A support fora manually movable tool including' spaced surface-contacting'units, means supporting said tool lon said, surface-contacting i units tiltably about a horizontal axis at an angle points of surface-contact to a line between the of said surface-contacting units, means resiliently opposing any tilting of said surface-contacting units relative to said tool, saidl axis being between said units, and adjusting means secured to said surface-contacting units and movable therewith relative to 'said tool to simultaneously vary the distance between said units and said tool.

2. In a suction cleaner,a casing, spaced rear supporting wheels for said casing, an L-shaped member forming a common axle for said rear supporting wheels, a base between said. wheels and said casing presenting a surface adjacent A said casing, a convex surface carried by said casing contacting said surface of s aid base, springs positioned between said base andY said casing resiliently opposing any tilting of said base relative to said casing, a bracket pivotally connect,- ing said axle to said base, a second L-shaped member carried by said base and movable there- L-shaped member thru which said first L-shaped member extends, and rotatable means carried by said plate to adjust said rst L-shaped member relalower said wheels relative to said casing.

3. A 'support for a movable tool including spaced surface-contacting units,'a body tiltably connected to said tool, meanspivotally connecting said units to said body for movement 4about a horizontal said body and said units and tiltable therewith to pivot said units relative to said body.

4. A support for a movable tool including spaced surface-contacting units, means supporting -said tool on said units about a horizontal axis for tilting about a horizontal axis means pivotally mounting sai'd units transverse of said flrstaxis, and means connected between soI mentioned axis, .and manually operable means to pivot said units about said last-mentioned axis.

5. In a support for a movable tool having a casing, a body positioned adjacent said casing, a part spacing said'casing and said body and making line contact with one of them to permit tilting, spaced supporting wheels, means pivotally mounting said wheels to said body, for movement about a horizontal axis, and manually operable me ns to adjust said wheels relative to said body.

6. In a support for tilting, resilient means acting on opposite sides of said contact line securing said body and casing in operative position and opposing relative tilting therebetween, supporting wheels for said body and casing, means pivotally mounting said wheels on said body for movement about a horizontal axis, and wheel-pivoting means carried by said body L .l 7. In a support for a movable tool, spaced supy'porting Vwheels'l a body,

means pivotallymounting .said wheels on said body, a contact element between said body and said tool making contact with said body on a line extending perpendicularly to a vertical plane through the axis of said supporting wheels, spring means forcing said body into Contact with said contact element, a rigid element carried by and extended to the side of said body, a second rigid element extended from said pivotal mounting means for said wheels adjacent said first mentioned rigid eleshaped member as an axle, means pivotally mounting said axle relative to said body, a second L-shaped member secured to said body and having a section extending vertically, a horlzontal plate pivotally mounted on the vertical section oi said second L-shaped member, and a rotatable member carried by said plate in screw-v threaded relation with the vertical section o! said rst L-shaped member tor-the .purpose of raising and lowering said member and said wheels relative to said body and said casing.

9. In a support-for a movable tool,- a body,

pivot means pivotally supporting said body rela` tive to said tool, a pair of spaced supporting wheels, means pivotally supporting said wheels relative to said body upon a horizontal axis at right angles to the axis of said iirst mentioned means, and adjusting means carried by said body to pivot-said wheels on said second pivot means.

' WILLIAM H. KI'ITO. 

